The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has been given permission by regulators to air commercials on its secondary French and English radio networks, likely by this fall.

But critics charge that the controversial decision to allow the commercialization of Radio 2 and Espace Musique has created a “slippery slope” that will change the face of the public broadcaster forever.

“It’s a slippery slope once the door is opened to the commercialization of public radio,” CRTC vice-chair Tom Pentefountas wrote in a passionately dissenting opinion.

“A distinct service that is highly appreciated by the public will be completely altered and lost forever.”

The landmark decision by the CRTC came over the loud objections of private broadcasters and listeners who said advertising should not be allowed on CBC Radio.

“The commission has endorsed a plan to become more commercial and seems to be treating the CBC like any other broadcaster, rather than the national public broadcaster,” said Ian Morrison, spokesperson for lobby group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.

There were 965 interventions, of which 893 opposed airing commercials.

As a result of the CRTC decision, Canadians can expect to hear advertising on CBC’s secondary radio networks as early as the fall, says the president of the public broadcaster.

“The decision was an important one. The CRTC endorsed our strategic direction and it gives us the flexibility with our revenue streams and allows us to continue in the direction we want to go,” CBC president Hubert Lacroix in a conference call with media.

Lacroix said advertising was needed desperately to fill a void left by years of cuts, including $115 million in the last federal budget.

However, he said the CBC was not on any “slippery slope.”

“We are passionate about our services, showcasing our musical talent. There is no slippery slope in our future. This a smart compromise that will allow us to gain revenues and continue to support our radio networks,” he said.

He also reiterated that the CBC would not ask for advertising on its primary radio channels.

“There is no way we are going to make a request for ad dollars. . . . You can rest assured there will be no request from us,” he said.

In an interview with the Star, CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais defended the decision, saying that the regulator granted permission but only in a “circumscribed way.”

The CBC will have to go back to the CRTC in three years time if it wants to continue with advertising, says Blais.

“We will see what the CBC has learned from this, and if they want to continue then we have to look closely at a public process as to what this means to Canadians.”

But Blais said he had confidence that the CBC did not intend to change its mandate.

“They have absolutely no interest in making it sound like commercial radio,” says Blais.

In a remarkable 3,000-word dissenting opinion, Pentefountas argued the CBC will become more dependent on audience ratings, which will influence its programming until it resembles commercial radio.

“Clearly the commission should not support the public service’s current management, which favours the race for advertising revenues.”

But Lacroix was adamant that advertising will not change the nature of CBC.

“Advertising won’t change the programming mandate of our services. Both will remain committed to supporting and showcasing the best in Canadian music.”

It was not a complete victory for the CBC. The national broadcaster wanted permission for an unlimited quantity of national advertising during the fourth year of its licence term.

The CRTC is allowing advertising for a limited three-year period, with no more than four minutes of advertising per broadcast hour. The CBC was hoping to make an additional $13 million to $20 million annually from advertising, but that projection will now be halved, said Lacroix.

At the end three years, the CBC will have to submit a new application to the CRTC if it wants to continue the ads.

“The CBC will have to demonstrate that the advertising has not had an undue adverse effect on advertising markets, that listeners have not been unduly inconvenienced by the advertising,” said the CRTC in its ruling.

The CRTC said that the CBC must also demonstrate that “the level of investment in radio broadcasting has been maintained, and that there has been no reduction in the variety and diversity of programming” with respect to Radio 2 and Espace Musique.

The CRTC decision was part of an overall ruling that renewed the public broadcaster’s licences for five more years.

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